Max Schrems, Chairman of noyb: “We are very pleased that for the first time a European data protection authority is using the possibilities of GDPR to punish clear violations of the law. Following the introduction of GDPR, we have found that large corporations such as Google simply ‘interpret the law differently’ and have often only superficially adapted their products. It is important that the authorities make it clear that simply claiming to be compliant is not enough. We are also pleased that our work to protect fundamental rights is bearing fruit. I would also like to thank our supporters who make our work possible.”

Background on noyb

noyb gets privacy on your phone. Article 80 of the GDPR foresees that data subjects can be represented by a non-profit association, as individual users are usually unable to file the relevant legal complaints. In the new case of noyb (‘Right to Access‘) ten users are represented by the non-profit organization. Schrems: “noyb is meant to reasonably enforce the new law, so that the benefits actually reach the users.”

Funding still on the way. So far, noyb.eu is funded by over 3,100 individual supporting members and sponsors (for example, StartPage.com or the City of Vienna). In order to finance the fight against data breaches in the long term, the association is looking for more supporting members. So far, the budget for 2018 is only 75 % funded. Schrems: “In 1995 the EU already passed data protection laws, but they were simply ignored by the big players. We now have to make sure this does not happen again with GDPR – so far many only seem to be superficially compliant.”

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Privacy activist Max Schrems called on the European authorities to push the Irish regulator to speed up its handling of cases he has brought against Facebook on the second anniversary of the introduction of rules designed to help protect the data of consumers. Schrems, long a thorn in the side of Facebook, bemoaned the lack of progress since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regime across Europe in 2018.

noyb argues that Facebook uses a strategy of “forced consent” to continue processing individuals’ personal data — when the standard required by EU law is for users to be given a free choice unless consent is strictly necessary for provision of the service.